August, 2008

Treat the Water

Involve your employees in the success of your business.

By Tom Fife

I was speaking at a state association convention when this question came up: “I’ve done everything I can think of to get my employees to make empowered decisions and they still won’t. What can I do?”

It’s the old saying, “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink.” That’s because this is an issue of involvement.

If you’ve been trying to give your employees the power to make good decisions, think about enlisting their help in the process. They are the ones who can make your efforts a success.

There are no absolutes when the topic is involvement, but if the process at your company is slow to start or needs readjusting, here are some ideas to think about:

It takes time to gain a commitment from your employees, and it takes time for you to make a commitment to them. Recommitting in a climate of change like the one we’re in today is an ongoing effort; it doesn’t happen overnight.

Trust is an essential element to be earned and learned. It is built over time but can be undone quickly. Trust is gained and given through actions, not words.

Goals and standards only have meaning for someone if they participate in setting them, and if those goals are measured in terms they understand. The “success” of the company should be the natural result of many successful employees’ contributions.

How effective your interactions are with your employees depends greatly on communication. When we are clear in our
communications, and our goals and values are visible and understood, then that will be evident to us in the actions of our people. If not, it’s likely that we haven’t been the good communicators we thought we were.

Remember that establishing the climate of involvement is ongoing. We continually readjust to new and challenging concerns with all aspects of our business. Did we really think the needs of our workforce would stand still? When was the last time you’ve had a new program for your team that you can say is truly for them? Where are the good news reports, along with the reassurances of a successful future? Are you too much about the climate of gloom and doom and forgetting to share the sunshine that’s surely around the corner?

Involvement is a byproduct of many things other than pay:

Appreciation for a job well done still remains high atop the list of employee needs.

Interesting work, translated as maximizing their talents and skills, is more important than a career path to this emerging workforce.

A feeling of “being in on things” gives each team member a piece of the common vision and higher goals. Sharing information through interactive meetings and faceto- face communications keeps everyone on the same track.

One thing for certain is that if we can’t involve our coworkers, they will go to someplace that can. All too often, we find that we have invested the emotional and monetary deposits to gain committed people, but then we make withdrawals that deplete our accounts just as we begin to draw interest from our investment.

Retaining our team and having the involvement necessary to grow a healthy business is a pressing issue in a strained and open door labor market. When you lead that horse to water, is the water fresh, or at least palatable? Or could it be a mirage? If what you’re currently trying to do isn’t working, ask your employees, “Why?” Find out what isn’t working directly from the horse’s mouth.

Remain open to new ideas on how to keep up with your employees’ need to be involved. If your efforts are not working, begin the repairs and reassessment today.

When involvement is strong, empowered decisions come naturally. Through a continuous inclusion process, we create a pathway to successfully attain goals both individual and in business.

I can help. Just holler.

TOM FIFE is a 20-year veteran of the construction supply business and president of Unionville, Ind.-based Challenges Inc., a speaking, training and consulting firm. Seminar topics include employee motivation and retention, customer service, management skills and yard foreman skills. For additional information, call at 812.330.1640, e-mail tom@tomfife.com, or visit www.tomfife.com.